Welcome to the University of Utah and the Department of Material Science & Engineering!

Students can be direct-admitted to the College of Engineering one of three ways:

    1. GPA of 3.6, ACT of 26, and ACT Math 28
    2. GPA of 3.8, ACT of 27, and ACT Math 26
    3. GPA of 3.8, Calculus A/B and Strong HS Science

Click here for more information about College of Engineering Direct Admit Information.

Math Placement


PrecalculusEngineering Calc.Traditional Calc.Honors Eng. Calc. Test & Grade EligibilityAccuplacer ExamRefresher Boot CampsPermission Code
Precalculus Math Placement
Course AP Test Score Course Prerequisites Accuplacer ACT SAT
MATH 1010
Intermediate Algebra
“C” or better in (MATH 980 OR MATH 990) QAS 245+
or
E 54+
18-22 470
MATH 1050
College Algebra
“C” or better in (MATH 1010 OR MATH 1060 OR MATH 1080 OR MATH 1090) AAF 245+
or
CLM 60+
23-27 570
MATH 1060
Trigonometry
“C” or better in MATH 1050 AAF 263+
or
CML 80+
MATH 1080
Precalculus
“B” or better in (MATH 1010 OR MATH 1050 OR MATH 1060) OR Department Consent AAF 250+
or
CLM 65+
24-27 580
Engineering Calculus Math Placement
Course AP Test Score Course Prerequisites Accuplacer ACT SAT
MATH 1310
Engineering Calculus I
AB 3+ “C” or better in ((MATH 1050 AND MATH 1060) OR MATH 1080 OR (MATH 1060 AND (Accuplacer AAF 263+ OR Accuplacer CLM 80+))) OR Department Consent AAF 276+
CML 90+
28+ 650+
MATH 1320
Engineering Calculus II
BC 3+ “C” or better in MATH 1310 OR OR Department Consent
MATH 2250
Differential Equations and Linear Algebra
“C” or better in (MATH 2210 OR MATH 1260 OR MATH 1280 OR MATH 1321 OR MATH 1320 OR ((MATH 1220 OR MATH 1250 OR MATH 1270 OR MATH 1311 OR AP Calculus BC score of 5) AND PHYS 2210 OR PHYS 3210))
MATH 3140
Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations for Engineers
“C” or better in ((MATH 2250 AND (MATH 1320 OR MATH 1321 OR MATH 2210 OR MATH 1260)) OR MATH 2280)
Traditional Calculus Math Placement
Course AP Test Score Course Prerequisites Accuplacer ACT SAT
MATH 1210
Calculus I
AB 3+ “C” or better in ((MATH 1050 AND MATH 1060) OR MATH 1080 OR (MATH 1060 AND (Accuplacer AAF 263+ OR Accuplacer CLM 80+))) AAF 276+
or
CLM 90+
28+ 650+
MATH 1220
Calculus II
AB 4+
or
BC 3+
 “C” or better in (MATH 1210 OR MATH 1250 OR MATH 1270 OR MATH 1311 OR MATH 1310)
MATH 2210
Calculus III
BC 4+ “C” or better in (MATH 1220 OR MATH 1250 OR MATH 1320)
MATH 2250
Differential Equations and Linear Algebra
“C” or better in (MATH 2210 OR MATH 1260 OR MATH 1280 OR MATH 1321 OR MATH 1320 OR ((MATH 1220 OR MATH 1250 OR MATH 1270 OR MATH 1311 OR AP Calculus BC score of 5) AND PHYS 2210 OR PHYS 3210))
MATH 3150
Partial Differential Equations for Engineering Students
“C” or better in ((MATH 2250 OR (MATH 2270 AND MATH 2280) AND (MATH 2210 OR MATH 1260 OR MATH 1280 OR MATH 1321))
Honors Accelerated Engineering Calculus Math Placement
Course AP Test Score  Course Prerequisites Accuplacer ACT SAT
MATH 1311
Accelerated Eng. Calc. I
AB 4+
or
BC 3+
MATH 1321
Accelerated Eng. Calc. II
BC 4+ “C” or better in MATH 1311
ACT/SAT or Accuplacer Exam
  • ACT/SAT or Accuplacer Exam scores can only be used for placement within TWO years. Scores expire two years after the test day.
AP Exam
  • If you took the exam more than two years ago you can either take a Math Boot Camp to renew your placement or talk to an Undergraduate Advisor about placement.
  • If you are placing into a math class with IB scores, we are still evaluating those on an individual basis. Please email the advisor with any questions.
Transfer Credit
  • All math courses taken at another institution must receive a C grade or better
  • If the course is taken outside of Utah, you will also need to submit the Transfer Course Evaluation Form

The Accuplacer is a computer-based test, and this allows it to be adaptive to your particular skill level. For example, if you do well on the first questions, it may skip questions that may be too easy for you, and move directly on to a more difficult type of question. For more information, click here.

Math Refersher Boot Camps are one week review workshops offered prior to or at the beginning of Fall and Spring semester. For more information, click here.

If you are unable to register for a math class without a permission code, review the information found here to determine what steps you need to take.

Chemistry Placement


Placement InfoAP Lab NotebookPermission Codes
Chemistry Placement
Course AP Test Score Course Prerequisites Accuplacer ACT SAT
CHEM 1210
General Chemistry I
Calc AB/BC 2+ “C-“or better in CHEM 1200 OR (“C” or better in (MATH(1050 OR 1080 OR 1210 OR 1220 OR 1250 OR 1260 OR 1310 OR 1320 OR 1311 OR 1321 OR 2250))) AAF 263+ 25+ 630+
CHEM 1215
General Chemistry Laboratory I
Chem 4+ “C-” or better in (CHEM 1210 OR CHEM 1211)
CHEM 1220
General Chemistry II
Chem 4+  “C-” or better in (CHEM 1210 OR CHEM 1211)
CHEM 1225
General Chemistry Laboratory II
Chem 5  “C-” or better in (CHEM 1070 OR CHEM 1215 OR CHEM 1240). Corequisites: “C-” or better in (CHEM 1220 OR CHEM 1221)
CHEM 2310 AP Chem 5 “C-” or better in (CHEM 1220 OR CHEM 1221)

AP Lab Notebooks may be used to fulfill the General Chemistry labs (CHEM 1215 or CHEM 1225). Students will need to contact a Chemistry Academic Advisor for information on how to get your AP Lab Notebook evaluated.

If you have transfer credit from another institution outside of Utah, you will also need to request a permission code, please click here.

Physics Placement


Placement InfoPermission Codes
Physics Placement
Course AP Test Score Course Prerequisites Accuplacer ACT SAT
PHYS 2210
Physics for Scientists and Engineers I
Calc AB 4+
or
Calc BS 3+
“C-” or better in (MATH 1210 OR MATH 1250 OR MATH 1310 OR MATH 1311 OR MATH 1220 OR MATH 1320)
PHYS 2220
Physics for Scientists and Engineers II
Physics C Mech 4+ “C-” or better in (((MATH 1220 OR MATH 1250 OR MATH 1311 OR MATH 1320 OR MATH 2210) OR AP Calculus BC score of 4+) AND ((PHYS 2210 OR PHYS 3210)

Content 1

If you have transfer credit from another institution outside of Utah, you will also need to request a permission code, please click here.

Writing Placement


Writing 1010 and 2010 need to be taken within the first three semesters at the U, and before students enroll in their upper-division CW writing courses. For information on Writing Placement, click here.

Registration Tips


Schedule BuilderWaiting ListPermission CodesHow to Register for ClassesCampus MapsDegree Adit

When registering for classes students are encouraged to use Schedule Builder, for more information click here.

If a class is full when a student registers, wait listing allows a student to add their name to an electronic wait list and potentially be added to the class if space opens up, and they meet all the requirements. Wait listing is not a guarantee to enrollment into a class. For information on how to get on a waiting list, click here.

Information on how to request a permission code for courses from across the university, click here.

For information on steps to register and registration dates, click here.

When picking your classes, it is important to be aware of the location. Check on the University of Utah campus map here.

All students should be familiar with My Degree Dashboard. My Degree Dashboard is a platform that helps you stay on track for graduation. In My Degree Dashboard, there are two very handy tools, audits and plans. Audits show you what classes you still need before you can graduate! Your degree audit is an automated report that matches the courses you have completed with the requirements of the major. Your degree audit will also show any test scores or transfer courses, you have sent to the University of Utah in addition to your U of U course history. Plans can help you plan your semesters in advance so you can rest easy knowing you’re on track for graduation! You can avoid that last minute scramble to figure out which classes you should register for by creating a semester-by-semester plan. Once you have built your plan, your advisor can review it with you to make sure you’re on the right path. You can even run an audit with your planned courses!

To learn more about each tool and how to run and read the reports, please click here.